Alan Pardew may not have managed to take the Baggies out of the drop zone since taking over Tony Pulis but he has definitely given the fans a reason to cheer after his side knocked an in-form Liverpool out of the FA Cup earlier this week. They will not have to work hard to make sure that they are out of the drop zone come the end of the season and the manager is looking for some fresh faces, who can add some impetus to the side.
And one player they are set to land is Daniel Sturridge.
According to several reports in the media, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is set for a medical, ahead of a move to West Brom on loan for the rest of the season. It is understood that they have beaten Newcastle United to his signature and are ready to pay his wages in full.
The Baggies may also have to pay a loan fee to Liverpool so is Sturridge worth the fuzz?
Arguably the best finisher in England after Harry Kane, Sturridge is well known for his skill and trickery on the ball, apart from his lethal finishing. He is a smart footballer with gifted technique and has a thunderous left-foot that has scored some worldies over the years.
He has 75 goals and 29 assists in 194 PL appearances to add to 8 goals in 26 appearances for the English national side, standing as a genuine goal scorer. He averages a goal in less than 95 minutes for Liverpool since the start of the season and has racked up two goals and an assist in just 431 minutes of league action this season.
He is a genuine match winner on his day but his biggest problem has been his injury history. Though he has already missed 13 games this season for the Reds. He has missed one and a half year of football in his time at Liverpool and has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp.
He is not sold as Klopp wants to assess his future after the World Cup but Sturridge will now have to pull something special at Hawthorns to make sure that he is on the plane to Russia later this year.
The Baggies are not the perfect fit for the fleet-footed striker, who loves to have the ball at his feet. Twisting and turning inside the box to find space and the back of the net is Sturridge’s MO, which does not fit too well into the West Brom style of play.
But under Pardew, in a 4-4-2 system, Sturridge can be a game changer for the rest of the season. Jay Rodriguez and Hal Robson-Kanu are a different breed of strikers and if partnered with Sturridge or Solomon Rondon, are sure to improve West Brom’s chance in front of goal.
The Baggies have a dearth of quality even in the midfield but the manager will hope that Sturridge’s skill and abilities will get them through the rest of the season. The 28-year old is an expensive buy for West Brom but he will surely improve their chances of top-flight survival this season.
